APPENDIX 4.3 Examples of Badger Persecution in Yorkshire

Changes in the status and distribution of mammals of the order Carnivora in Yorkshire from 1600. County history of the fox, badger, otter, pine marten, stoat, weasel, polecat, American mink, wildcat and domestic cat.

Item Type Thesis

Authors Howes, Colin Anthony

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The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.

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Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10454/4306 APPENDIX 4.3 Examples of badger persecution in Yorkshire

APPENDIX 4.3

Examples of badger persecution in Yorkshire (Based on Howes 1988). a) Fox hunt. b) trapping. c) digging. d) baiting. e)dogs. f) shooting. g) poison & gas. h) others. i) unstated. a) Badgers Caught by Fox hunts and hunt servants 28.12.1819 Bramham Hunt Two badgers caught whilst cub hunting (Simpson 1927) 1816 Shaw Wood, Armthorpe Badger encountered by hounds, dug out and killed (Hatfield 1866). Autumn 1876 or 1877 Cleveland Hunt Badger caught at Marton (Lofthouse 1886). 5.12.1883 Bedale Hunt Badger dug out of fox earth at Slenningford (Carter 1884). 19.11.1884 Wentworth Hunt Badger caught at the mausoleum, Wentworth Woodhouse, whilst drawing a fox (Brewis 1886). 19.11.1884 Wentworth Hunt Dug out during a hunt in Rainborough (Brewis 1886). 19.12.1884 Wentworth Hunt Badger caught at the mausoleum, Wentworth Woodhouse (Brewis 1886). 8.2.1904 Bedale Hunt Badger killed in Horse Close Wood (Reynard 1908). -.6.1904 Bedale Hunt Two killed in Londonderry Wood by huntsmen (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). 1904-1905 Bedale Hunt Badger killed in Camp Hill Woods (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). 1904-1905 Middleton Hunt Thirteen badgers killed during the hunting season (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). Winter 1912 York & Ainsty Hunt Badger killed at Steeton (Procter, C. F. in York Naturalists‟ Report book). Winter 1912 York & Ainsty Hunt Badger killed at Bilbrough (Procter, C. F. in York Naturalists‟ Report Book). 1916 Un-named Yorkshire Pack Reported killing 100 in one season (Fortune 1916). b) Badgers caught by trapping -.6.1830 Edlington Wood Three badges trapped (Hatfield 1866). 1842 Watchley Crags Badgers caught in box trap (Hatfield 1866). 1883 Watchley Crags Badgers caught in steel rabbit trap set in hedgerow, killed and mounted (Hatfield 1866). 1885 Brimham Rocks Badger caught in trap for foxes (Storey 1885). 15.3.1893 Renshaw Wood, Towton Badger caught in trap (Fortune 1893). 1902 Nr. Ripon Two badgers caught in traps (Summerfield 1903). 1905 West Cleveland Badger trapped (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). Pre. 1907 Fyling Hall, Robin Hood‟s Bay Five badgers trapped (Barry 1907). 1909 Plumpton Badger caught in rabbit trap (Fortune 1909). Winter 1915 Newbold Over 12 badgers trapped (Booth 1917). 1916 Brantinghamdale Three badgers trapped (Booth 1917). 15.9.1947 Brockholes, Huddersfield Badger caught in fox trap (Hazelwood 1948). 25.7.1967 Lowdales, Hackness Badger caught in snare (Clegg 1968). 15.7.1968 Kirk Bramwith area Badger dead in trap (J. Mcgarry pers. comm.). 11.10.1968 Kirk Bramwith area Two adults and two cubs snared and killed by earth-stoppers (J. Mcgarry pers. comm.). 7.3.1969 Kirk Bramwith area Badger trapped 20yds. from sett (J. Mcgarry pers. comm.). 11.3.1969 Kirk Bramwith area Two caught and killed in snares (J. Mcgarry pers. comm.). 18.5.1970 Kirk Bramwith area Badger caught and killed in snare (J. Mcgarry pers. comm.). 1972 Melton Wood, Doncaster Badger caught in snare (J. S. Griffith pers. comm.). -.6.1973 Copgrove Badger found in snare (G. Shaw pers. comm.). c) Examples of Badger Digging 1830 Badger Wood, Fimber Three captured in raid in one night (Cole 1886). 1830 Badger Wood, Fimber Seven to eight per year regularly caught for several years after (Cole 1886).

1 APPENDIX 4.3 Examples of badger persecution in Yorkshire

1860 Badger Wood, Fimber. Two badgers caught on two occasions (Cole 1886). 1860-1880 Badger Wood, Fimber. One Badger or more caught annually (Cole 1886). 1880 Badger Wood, Fimber. Badger caught (Cole 1886). 1830-1880 Yorkshire Wolds. Rev. E. M. Cole estimated that approximately 100 badgers had been caught on the Wolds during the previous years (Cole 1886). 15.4.1892 Flixton Two captured alive from sett. One killed, female kept alive in the hopes of breeding (Clarke 1892). 1905 Cross Butts, Whitby Female and cubs dislodged from drain and killed (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). Pre. 1914 North-east Yorkshire I remember once digging an earth 22 yards long and 22 feet deep to get a badger out from a place from which seven had been taken in a fortnight (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). -.10.1920 Bransley Falls, Leeds. Badger dug out by two men (Smith 1922). 8.10.1921 Raincliffe Wood, Scarborough Two badgers dug out and killed (Clarke 1922). 1923 Hutton Two large badgers were dug out at Hutton and both were killed (Batten 1923). 1938 Hole of Horcum, Pickering Occasionally dug out and killed (Flintoff et.al. 1938). 1956 Knaresborough area Two setts known to contain cubs were destroyed (Hazelwood 1958). 19.10.1960 Kexborough. Badger forced from sett and killed by dogs (Hazelwood 1960). 1960s Rotherham area. The three largest setts in the district regularly visited by diggers. Adults and cubs have been killed or taken from each of these setts in recent years (J. S. Griffith pers. comm.). 1960s Old Denaby, Doncaster Four men and six dogs excavated two deep shafts into a large well established sett. Thirteen badgers and two foxes were caught and one of the badgers was baited with terriers Griffith 1985). A photograph of the diggers, together with one showing terriers worrying one of the badgers appears in Hardy (1975). 1961 Knaresborough Two setts destroyed and filled in (W. Beck pers. comm.). 1963 Goathland area. Badgers considered much reduced in numbers due to digging out setts (L. Carr pers. comm.). 1965 Thurgoland, Barnsley Sett dug out. Cub from sett kept as pet (Sheffield Star 1965). 1966 Scampston. A female dug from sett at Scampston gave birth to a cub which was taken into captivity (Sunday Express 1966). -.5.1968 High Melton College grounds Sett dug and badger caught and killed (J. S. Griffith pers. comm.). 4.10.1968 Kirk Bramwith area. Badger dug out and killed (J. Mcgarry pers. comm.).

1973 Medge Hall, Thorne Moors Sett dug out but diggers from Rotherham. Cubs removed but rescued and returned (M. Limbert pers. comm.). 1977 Madbanks, Castleford Sett dug out (Castleford & District Naturalists‟ Society). 1985 Rotherham area. Griffith (1985) knew of badger digging groups still active in the Rotherham area. d) Badger Baiting 1814 Edlington Wood, Doncaster A locally caught 48lb badger was kept at the Wood House, where the dogs of Earl Fitzwilliam and Mr Foljambe were sent to measure their strength against it. It was later sold in Doncaster where “people came from far and wide to buy it for badger baiting” (Hatfield 1866). -.6. 1830 Edlington Wood, Doncaster Three badgers were trapped, two of which were so badly maimed they were destroyed. The third was sent to Rossington and sold for 30 shillings for badger baiting (Hatfield 1866). 1842 Watchley Crags, Hooton Pagnell Badger trapped alive and baited and killed in a „distant village‟ (Hatfield 1866). 1870s Middlesbrough Market Badger exhibited (Lofthouse 1886). -.1.1882 Nr. Yarm Badger caught and exhibited at Craythorn Inn (Lofthouse

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1886). 4.3.1882 Middlesbrough Market Badger exhibited (Lofthouse 1886). 1882 Wentbridge Badger exhibited at the White Horse Inn a few years ago (Roberts 1886). 1911 Leyburn Captive badger exhibited at the annual fair at Leyburn, Wensleydale (Batten 1923). -.4.1921 Nr. Whitby Adult male „bagged‟ and kennelled in a barrel to the rear of a local Country Inn. Several callers per day came to set their terriers against the badger which died within three weeks (Batten 1923). 1923 Kirkby Moorside Male badger kept for „trying‟ terriers (Batten 1923). 1952 East Yorkshire “An old badger kept in a barrel at the back quarters of a public house for the purposes of testing the spirit of young terriers (Batten 1952). 1.5.1970 Kirk Bramwith Badger caught in a snare, baited with terriers and finally killed by a blow with a spade (Pers comm. J. Mcgarry). e) Dogs attacking badgers above ground 1832 Hard Platts Wood, Halifax Badger attacked by dog of J. of Stainland (Hanson 1882). -.3.1893 Cottam Badger attacked and killed by three or four dogs (Marshall 1893). 1905 West Cleveland Badger cornered by Scotch Collie and killed with sticks (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). 1905 Helmsley 22lb badger attacked by Manchester terrier (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). -.11.1919 Towthorpe Badger killed by dog in fields (Smith 1919). 1958 Brockholes, Huddersfield Cub killed by dog (Hazelwood 1959). 29.10.1964 Woodsome Golf Course, Huddersfield. Badger killed by dogs (E. W. Aubrook pers. comm.). f) Badgers killed by shooting 1879 Bramham Park Badger shot by keeper (Emmett 1879). 24.2.1880 Bramham Park Badger shot by keeper (Raine 1880a). 13.2.1899 12-14 miles from Tadcaster Badger shot after fight with keeper‟s dog (Callum 1899). -.7.1902 Speeton Badger shot (Sheppard 1902). 1905 Hambleton Hills One or two badgers shot recently (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). 3.3.1910 Holmpton Male badger shot (Wilkinson 1910). 1914 Sinnington Badger shot by farmer (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). 1946 Middlesbrough Badger shot in air raid shelter (Hazelwood 1947). 24.4.1947 Clayton West Badger shot near railway station (Hazelwood 1948). 15.7.1947 Between Winterburn and Eshton Badger shot (Hazelwood 1948). 1958 Hardcastle Crags Badger shot by head keeper of the Savile Estate (Morley 1965). 1962 Womersley Badger shot (V. Mendham pers. comm.). 1963 Burley Badger shot (Wharfedal Naturalists‟ Society). 1964 Huddersfield area Badger shot (W. E. Aubrook pers. comm.). 29.2.1964 Cawthorne Badger shot after being dug from sett (Huddersfield Weekly Examiner 1964). 4.10.1964 Dunford Bridge Badger shot (W. E. Aubrook pers. comm.). 1965 Flouch Inn, Langsett Badger shot (J. Robindon pers. comm.). 1966 Halifax area Adult and two cubs shot.(I. Morley pers. comm.). -.5.1968 High Melton College grounds Female badger shot (J. S. Griffith pers. comm.). 5.8.1968 Kirk Bramwith area Two adults and two cubs shot (J. McGarry pers. comm.) g) Poisoning and Gassing 1905 West Cleveland At least one poisoned (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). 1952 Rotherham Gassing eliminated a social group of badgers being watched by R. Bramhill. 1956 Yorkshire „Frequent gassings‟ referred to (Hazelwood 1957). 1960s Wadworth Wood, Doncaster Sett gassed by use of cyanide (J. S. Griffith pers. comm.). 1961 Yorkshire Badgers have been reported from many districts but have

3 APPENDIX 4.3 Examples of badger persecution in Yorkshire

too often been gassed out (Hazelwood 1962). 1962 Wykeham Forest Mr M. Johnson found seven setts inactive due to gassing and expressed concern over indiscriminate gassing of badger setts in the North York Moors national park area, including land managed by the Forestry Commission (M. Johnson pers. comm.). 1964 Wentworth Woodhouse Badger setts are still being gassed (E. Swabey pers. comm.). 1964 Knaresborough area Several setts poisoned (W. Beck pers. comm.). 1964 Goathland Suspicion that some setts are cleared out by farmers (L. Carr pers. comm.). 1966 Brockadale The sett still inactive after poisoning (Hazelwood 1960). 1968 Ledsham Female badger cub gassed at sett, „Cymag‟ crystals found at site (Castleford & District Naturalists‟ Society). 1970 Yorkshire Examples of illegal gassing widely reported (Simms 1971). 1970 Yorkshire Persistent use of poisoned eggs reported on some Yorkshire estates (Simms 1971). h) Other methods 1960s Rotherham area Sett destroyed by farmer using explosives (J. S. Griffith pers. comm.). i) Badgers caught/killed methods not stated 1800 Leacroft Badger killed on Mr Tennant‟s estate (Raine 1880a) 1826 Walton Hall, Wakefield Two caught alive (Roberts 1886). 1830-1846 Edlington Wood, Doncaster Several sent for preservation (taxidermy) to Hugh Reid, taxidermist (Hatfield 1866). 1849 Nidderdale Female badger taken alive by Mr. Charlton (Storey 1885). -.12.1850 Nr. Wetherby Badger killed by Mr. J. B. Faviel and forwarded to Hugh Reid for taxidermy (Hatfield 1866). -.8.1851 Snydale Hall, Pontefract Badger killed by Mr. Mark Faviel and forwarded to Hugh Reid for taxidermy (Hatfield 1866). c. 1854 Tenement Wood, Nidderdale Badger killed (Lucas 1880). -.3.1856 Nr. Selby Badger killed by Rev. Richard Brooks. 5.10.1859 Between Wheatley and Armthorpe Badger caught (Hatfield 1866). 1862 Hackfall Two badgers captured (Roberts 1886). 1865 Liverton Lodge, Saltburn Badger caught ((Gregson 1882). -.6.1865 Nr. Doncaster Badger caught (Hatfield 1866). Pre. 1871 Kirklees Two badgers caught (Roberts 1886). 23.9.1877 Nr. Ripponden Badger caught (Roberts 1886). c. 1879 Nr. Pickering Badger caught and in the possession of Mr Marfitt, Pickering grocer (Andrews 1879). 1880 Simon‟s Seat Badger taken on northern slopes (Leeds Mercury Weekly Supplement (1882) 29 July 1882). 1880 Turner Wood, Rishworth Badger caught (Hanson 1882). -.2.1881 Nr. Thirsk Two badgers taken alive (Lofthouse 1886). 25.3.1881 Kepwick Two caught by gamekeepers (Sugley 1881). -.1.1882 Craythorne Badger caught (Raine 1882, Lofthouse 1886). 6.3.1882 Nr. Ormsby Badger caught (Lofthouse 1886). 20.5.1882 Liverton Lodge, Saltburn Badger caught alive (Gregson 1882). 29.1.1882 Nr. Yarm Badger caught (Raine 1882). Winter 1883/84 North Stainley Badger caught (Summerfield 1885). 22.4.1884 Nr. Wortley Badger caught (Bradley 1884). 3.2.1885 Ingleby Badger caught (Lofthouse 1886). Spring 1885 Guisbrough Badger caught (Lofthouse 1886). 1886 Ingleby Female and three cubs caught (Nelson 1886). 1887 Campsmount Badger caught (Braithwaite 1887) 1893 Wenslaydale Adult with young caught and kept alive at Bolton Hall (YNU Archives 66). 16.3.1895 Nr. Whitby Badger killed and mounted (Stephenson 1896). 18.4.1895 Mulgrave Badger killed and mounted (Stephenson 1896). 17.5.1895 Folkton Badger caught (Stephenson 1896). 19.2.1897 Menthorpe Badger killed (Yorkshire Evening Post 1897).

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-.3.1898 Thornton Dale Two badgers caught alive (Clarke 1898). 14.2.1899 Castle Hill, Tadcaster Badger killed (Callum 1899) -.3.1903 Nr. Driffield Badger caught (Anon.1903). 1904 Nr. Bedale Two badgers killed (Anon.1904). 1905 Levisham Badger killed (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). -.5.1905 Whitby Four badgers caught (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). 1908-1913 Scarborough district Seven badgers caught by Mr. W. Chapman. -.6.1909 Beckwithshaw to Rigston Badger caught alive (Fortune 1909). -.6.1909 Plumpton Badger caught alive (Fortune 1909). 1912 Nr. Scarborough Young badger caught (Blakeborough & Pease 1914). 1917 Bolton Abbey A large badger was killed (Musham 1918). -.4.1918 Sand Hutton Wood Badger caught (Musham 1919). -.10.1920 Bransley Falls, Leeds Badger caught (Smith 1921). -.4.1921 Nr. Whitby Adult female and three cubs killed and adult male taken live (Batten 1923). 9.10.1921 Raincliffe Wood, Scarborough Badger caught and killed above ground (Clarke 1922). 1923 Gillamoor Badger caught by villagers and kept in a box for some days (Batten 1923). 1927 Doncaster Two badgers caught (Yorkshire Post 1927). 1937 Fulstone Belth, Shepley A pair killed (Gallway 1938). 1940 Nr. York Fourteen killed at one sett over the past three years, leaving a single wary specimen (Hazelwood 1941). 1967 Cawthorne Tow young removed from sett and killed (T. Seago pers. comm.). 20.5.1970 Wadworth Wood, Doncaster Dead cub outside sett (J. Griffith pers. comm.). 1977 Pontefract Headless corpse of badger found in town centre (Castleford & District Naturalists‟ Society)